Related Content

Police were called to a home at 106 4th Street No. 2 at 12:48 a.m. Wednesday.

When officers arrived, they found a woman leaving the home with her clothing on fire, and the home in flames. Officers got her on the ground and put out the flames.

The woman's mother was also set on fire inside the house, but was apparently able to put herself out.

A friend talked to the mother Wednesday and learned more about what happened.

"She said she was in the bathroom and heard her daughter screaming so she opened the door and she was standing in the middle of the floor on fire and then he threw gas on her, and she grabbed her daughter and got her in the bathroom to try to get out of his way and they were burning while they were in the bathroom so they were trying to get out. He wouldn't let them out. He had the door held so they couldn't get out," said neighbor David Powers.

Police said De Los Santos had nowhere to go because he and his girlfriend recently moved to Iowa to live with the girlfriend's mother.

Police said both women suffered burns to the upper parts of their bodies, and have been taken to the burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

Police said the younger woman's boyfriend dosed the women with gasoline and lit them on fire with a cigarette.

According to police, officers searched the area and found Esperidion De Los Santos, 24, of Marshalltown, in a vehicle near the home.

He was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of willful injury, aggravated domestic abuse and first-degree arson. De Los Santos is being held in the Marshall County Jail.

Firefighters were able to put the fire out, but the home suffered damage to the second floor and attic.

Police expect the mother and daughter to survive, but both have a long recovery ahead of them. Their names have not yet been released.